GSD E-Blast June 2025

Dear GSD Families,

Congratulations to everyone on reaching the end of another fantastic school year! From our award-winning band, sports teams, and clubs to the many academic and personal achievements of our students and staff, this year has been filled with accomplishments that continue to make us proud to be part of GSD. Our supportive community and dedicated staff truly help put GSD on the map, and I am honored to serve as Superintendent of such an incredible district. Wishing all of you a happy, sunny, and relaxing summer! Don’t forget to keep an eye out for communication from your child’s school in August with important updates about the start of the new school year.

Your partner in education,

Amy Conway

Superintendent

Research shows that being happy and positive primes the brain to be more successful and productive. Promoting positivity will enhance our student’s academic ability and develop them into happy and positive thinkers and leaders. Each month we will highlight a building or staff member that is spreading “The Orange” (Happiness) through Gibraltar!

At Hunter Elementary, they spent part of June honoring the beauty of growth and the importance of time by creating special memories that brought our youngest and oldest students together. To bring this experience to life, our students helped create the Hunter Elementary Time Machine, a fun and imaginative way to symbolize the passage of time and the milestones along the way. This project reminded everyone in our school community that while the days may feel long, the years truly are short. You can view the Time Machine video and celebrate this joyful moment with us at the link below.

LINK TO TIME MACHINE VIDEO

Last week, we celebrated our graduating Class of 2025 with a special event that brought joy, inspiration, and a few happy tears. In a touching moment of connection across generations, our future graduates from the Class of 2037 visited to congratulate the seniors. The younger students were presented with teddy bears and received hand-written notes from the graduates in return—messages filled with advice, encouragement, and hope. The exchange symbolized the passing of the torch and reminded everyone that the Carlson spirit lives on. It was a beautiful celebration of growth, mentorship, and the strong sense of community that defines our school (Check out this video link of this very special celebration). Congratulations, Class of 2025—we’re proud of you!

The annual 8th grade transition event, hosted by Marauder Captain sponsors Lindsey Begeman and Jessica Plozai along with Shumate 8th grade class sponsors Amy Hulderman and Jami Antosiewicz, once again provided a meaningful bridge between middle school and high school. Held at the football stadium, the event brought together rising seniors and incoming freshmen for an afternoon of games, ice breakers, and laughter. Some standout games were; musical chairs, cornhole, blind obstacle course run, a classic duck-duck-goose, bean bag toss, among many others. Prior to the event, students completed surveys to help match them with peers who share similar interests, hobbies, and sports. These connections sparked instant conversations and eased nerves as students prepared for the next step in their academic journey. Marauders and Seahawks exchanged numbers and made plans to meet up over the summer and reconnect on Prep Day in August. To end the day on a sweet note, the Shumate parent group treated everyone to delicious sundaes from Custard Corner, a beloved local business. The event not only built friendships but also helped set a positive tone for the transition to high school.

At Chapman Elementary, we believe in making learning magical—and our kindergarteners recently experienced just that during our end of our phonics unit annual event- The Q & U Wedding Celebration! To help students remember that the letters Q and U always stick together in words, our kindergarten classes hosted a sweet and silly wedding ceremony in honor of this dynamic duo. Dressed in their best, students participated in a full wedding celebration complete with a ceremony, dancing, and even wedding cake at the reception! Mrs. Soranno proudly officiated the ceremony, reminding us all that “Q will never go anywhere without U.” We were also delighted to welcome special guests Mr. Wagner and Mrs. Conway, who joined in on the fun and festivities.

The Parsons Elementary Art Club, led by first-grade teacher Amanda Fairris and parent volunteers Tina Revoir and Jenny Wilhelm, provided a vibrant creative outlet for students in grades 2–5. Divided into groups of 2nd–3rd graders and 4th–5th graders, students met once a week for four weeks to explore the Art Club’s exciting theme, Under the Sea of Creativity, which aligned with the school-wide theme for the year. During each session, students engaged in hands-on art experiences including painting, papier-mâché, and other imaginative projects that showcased their artistic talents. The club culminated in a spectacular Art Show, where families gathered to celebrate and admire the students’ hard work, creativity, and colorful underwater-themed masterpieces. The evening was a joyful celebration of student expression and community involvement.

Our school grounds are truly coming alive thanks to the incredible work of our students! Our fourth graders recently gave our school garden a big boost. They dove into research, voted on their favorite plants, and carefully planned the garden's layout before enthusiastically planting a diverse assortment of flowers, vegetables, herbs, and fruits. These dedicated young gardeners will continue to tend the garden throughout the rest of the school year, nurturing their hard work and watching it flourish. Not to be outdone, our kindergarteners also got in on the fun, planting beautiful flowers and adding their vibrant painted rocks to the front of the school, which has really brightened our entrance.

We're also thrilled to announce our continued partnership with the Toledo Zoo! They recently visited our school to lead engaging programs for each grade level, focusing on our school's prairie. These interactive sessions taught our students about the importance of native ecosystems and what to expect from the plants in our very own prairie. Our prairie is a dynamic environment, and over time, you can anticipate seeing a diverse array of native grasses and wildflowers emerge. These garden and prairie initiatives offer exciting, hands-on learning opportunities that perfectly align with our identity as a STEM school at Weiss.

Congratulations to the remarkable Class of 2025! As you step across the stage and into the next chapter of your lives, we celebrate your dedication, resilience, and achievements. You have navigated the challenges of your high school years with grace and determination, emerging stronger and more prepared for the future. As you venture into new horizons, whether in further education, careers, or other endeavors, remember that you carry with you the skills and values that will guide you to success. We wish you all the best in your future pursuits and are confident that you will continue to make a positive impact on the world. Congratulations, graduates!

The first project for the 2023 Bond Program began last year with new roofing installations at

Carlson High School and Shumate Middle School.

Currently, the Carlson tennis courts are closed for public use and undergoing construction. By

this fall, we will unveil eight new tennis courts, including two courts with pickleball lines, along

with a brand-new concessions building equipped with restrooms.

Hunter Elementary School is also experiencing significant upgrades. This includes

comprehensive interior renovations, a new addition, parking lot replacement, and various site

improvements.

A few smaller projects happening this summer include pool equipment upgrades at Carlson and

a boiler replacement at Shumate. Our team is diligently working on several projects in the planning and design phases. These include district-wide playground enhancements, additions, and renovations at Parsons Elementary School, renovations at Rockwood Early Learning Center, and auditorium renovations at Carlson High School.

We are thrilled about these improvements and the positive impact they will have on our

students. Stay tuned for more updates as these projects progress!

Congratulations to Donna Belinc and Sharon Murphy on their retirement. They are retiring in June. Donna has 23 years of service at GSD. She had children and now has grandchildren that attend the Gibraltar Schools. Sharon Murphy has 14 years of service at GSD. Sharon started as a lunch monitor then became a bus aide and now is a bus driver. Sharon's children also attended the Gibraltar Schools. They will be truly missed.